Stopper.



PATEHTED MAR. 6, 1996.

STO PPBR.

APPLICATION rum: SEPT. 21, 1905.

UNITED STATES 3.9mm OFFICE- CHARLES N. BRISCO, OF MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIG-NOR TO UNION STOPPER COMPANY, OF MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA, A

CORPORATION.

STOPP'ER.

Specification of "Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 1906.

Application filed September 2 1, 1905. Serial No. 279,420.

1'0 all whom it rnwy concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES N. Brusoo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morgantown, in the county of Monongalia and State of l/Vest Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stoppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to nonrefillable bottles employing a normall restrained spring to close and maintain cibsed a valve, the spring being released from restraint by li uid action in case an effort is made to refil the bottle.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved construction whereby greater certainty of operation is secured, particular attention being paid to insuring the integrity of the spring-restraining body under conditions of ordinar use without rendering less certain the re ease of the spring when an effort is made to refill the bottle.

The invention is illustrated in its referred embodiment in the accompanying rawirigs, in which Figure 1 represents a sectional view of a bottle-neck equipped with the improved stopper, the stopper being in the closed position; Fig. 2, a similar view with the stopper raised ready for pouring; Fig. 3, a bottom plan view of the o crating knob or handle;

g. 4, a section ta on as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a broken section taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, aside eievational view of a valve-guard employed; Fig. 7, a bottom plan view of the same, and Fig. 8 a broken section taken as indicated at line 8 of Fig. 4.

In the construction illustrated, A represents the neck of a bottle of ordinary con- StI'llOtlOIl, and B the improved stopper applied thereto.

The device B comprises a tubular plug or member b having a hollow frusto-conical extension b, cemented in the bottleneck and formed with a valve-seat b; a gravity-acting disk valve b resting on the seat 12 a combination guide and valve-guard b, firmly secured within the member 5 in the manner hereinafter explained; a combination housing and valve-stem 6 working through the 'deb; an operating disk or knob b, secured y a bolt "5'' to the member 6", and an inner housing I), having a detachable top I) and containing a coilespring i), normally held in A restraint by a V-shaped spring I), between the prongs of which is confined a mutable podyd l), disintegrable under the action of he member 5 affords a chamber for the operative parts of the stopper. The downwardly-tapering frusto-conical extension b is equipl ed at its lower end with a cork-flange c, w ch fits snugly within the bottle-neck and forms a support for the cement c, which joins the member to the bottle-neck. As shown, there is an offset 0 between the cylindrical and conical portions of the member 5, whereat is provided an annular recess on the lower side, which seats upon the upper end of the bottle-neck, leaving a depending external flan e fitting over the top. of the bottleneck. lhe cement is injected before the member is seated, after which the member is forced down to its proper position. Above the valve-seat b the interior surface of the conical portion b flares upwardly, as indicat-ed at c", and is equipped with ribs 0 having approximately parallel guide-surfaces which maintain the valve b centered when it opens in the operation of pouring.

The valve 11 may comprise a lower disk of cork and an upper disk of metal cemented thereto. The combination guide and valveguard 5 com rises a sleeve equipped externally with a ange c and beneath said flange with arms 0, which center thesleeve and two of which are entered in bayonet-sockets c, with which the member b is internally provided, being held within said sockets by keys c". The sleeve portion of the, member I) is rovided atv its lower ortion with an internal ange c upon whio rests a cork sleeve or linin o having cut therein vertical slots 0, whic register in the open position of the stopper with lateral ports 0 in the holiow stern I)". The internal flange 0 is provided with vertical slots 0, which receive when the valve-stern is raised lugs c, with which the lower end of the valve-stem is equipped. These lugs 0 work beneath cams c at the lower end of the sleeve portion of the member 1), operating when the knob b is turned (after first being lowered) to force the stern hard against the valve.

The member b comprises a disk which projects over the member b and an annular flange d, which depends'within the'member'b" and telescopes loosely with the upper portion of the member I). The flange d is provided externally with vertical lugs d, which fit freel within the upper portlon of the member and serve to prevent a wire from being inserted spirally in an effort to tamper with the valve. The upper end of the stem 11 is equipped with lugs d which enter sockets d on the lower surface of the member b", and the bolt 1), the nut of which is within the stem, completes the connection. The lower end of the stem is externally flanged and the end surface is equipped with small In s, which when the stem is rotated to unlock tIie valve'turns the valve on its seat to loosen it.

The s ring-casing b slides into the tubular stem 1) rom below, and its top bears against the internal shoulder in the stem, as shown. The end of the stem is closed b a disk d of cork, paraffin, or the like, ma ing a watertight closure. The cap I) makes a close sliding fit with the casing and beneath it 1s an absorbent disk 01 which protects the soluble tablet b from moisture under ordinary conditions. The cap is provided on its upper surface with lugs (1 t rou h'which pass admission-ports, as shown. 11 order for liquid to enter the casing to act upon the soluble body, it would be necessary) for a quantity thereof to collect above t e cap and immerse the lugs d, and this could only occur in case an effort were made to refill the bottle.

The manner of assembling the arts of the stopper need not be recapitulate as this is obvious. The stopper is su plied to bottlers for use in connection wit ordinary bottles, the bottles bein provided with means for cementing it in p ace 1n the bottle-neck. In the closed condit1on the lower end of the stem bears upon the valve, and the stem is locked in its depressed position by the lugs 0 located beneath the cam-surface 0 A uarter-rotation of the valve-stem, effected t ough the medium of the knob b", brings the lugs 0 beneath the slots 0, permitting the stem to be raised, thereby freeing the valve, so that in pouring the valve is free to assume the dotted position shown in Fig. 2. In this osition an annular passage about the edges of the valve, the valve-guard, and the lower portion of the knob permits egress of the liquid. In the pouring operation the liquid is directed away from the ports 0 and none can enter said ports. If, however, an effort be made to refill the bottle, the valve will be seated and liquid forced through the ports 0 in sufficient quantity to immerse the perforate lugs d", wetting the ad d and weakening the normally hard ta let I), thereby releasing the spring b" in a manner now understood in the art. The sprin upon release forces the casing or valve-fol ower b downwardly, thereby automatically locking the valve 1n its closed position. Under such conditions it is im ossible to free the valve from the lock, and t e safeguard against refilling is permanent. It should be remarked that in the closed condition of the stopper (shown in Fig. 1) the ports 0 are closed by the tubular cork-valve 0, so that no injury would result were the bottle to be immersed in water, as for rinsing purposes.

The parts b, b, and b usually are of glass, and the other parts may be of any suitable materials. The tubular stem b may be of metal, as it is substantially protected from liquid contact when raised, as shown in Fig. 2.

Changes in materials and in minor details are contemplated. Hence no undue limitation should be understood from the foregoing detailed description.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a bottle-stopper, the combination with a valve-seat and valve, of a member provided with a guide and valve, a tubular stem working through said guide and provided with a port guarded by said second-named valve, a spring carried with said stem, operative upon release to automatically lock said first-named valve, and a mutable body housed in said stem subject to liquid action and normally operative to restrain said spring.

2. In a bottle-sto per, the combination with a valve-seat an valve, of a combination valveuard and guide equipped with a valve, a tu ular stem working through said guide and closed by said second-named valve when the stem is depressed, a spring operative upon release to automatica ly lock said first-named valve, and a mutable liquidaffected body housed in said stern and normally restraining said spring.

3. In a bottle-stopper, the combination with a valve-seat and valve, of a valve-guard rovided with a guide, a tubular stem working through said guide rovided with a ort and having an open l fiwer end, a ho low valve-follower confined in the lower end of said stem and having a detachable top provided with a port, a spring confined within said follower, a body subject to liquid action located adjacent to said second-named port and normally restraining said spring, said spring operating upon release to force the follower against the valve.

4. In a bottle-stopper, the combination with a valveseat and valve, of a tubular stem provided at its upper portion with a port, a sectional spring-casing confined within the lower end of the stem and provided at its upper end with a port, a spring and mutable restraining body therefor, confined in said casin a guide for the stem equipped with a va ve for the first-named port, and a knob connected with and serving in the manual operation of said stem.

5. In a stopper, the combination with a valve-seat and valve, of a valve-guard equipped with a guide and thereat with a valve, and provided also with a cam, a tubu- IIO lar stein working through said guide and equipped with a cam coacting with said firstnamed cam, said cam being vertically slidable in one positlonwith relation to the valveguard and having a port at its upper portion, a sectionally-constructed spring-casing conlined in the lower end of said stem and provided at its upper end with a port, a spring and inutable restraining body therefor eonfincd in said casing, and a knob operative to raise and lower and rotate said stem at will.

6. In a bottle-stopper, the combination of a plug equipped at its lower portion with a valve-seat, a valve, a valve-guard non-rcmovably secured in the tubular plug, a. stem extending through said guard and equipped at its u per end with a knob, and a spring and inutab e restraining body carried by the lower end of said stem, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a bottle-stopper, the combination of a tubular plug having a downwardly-flarin extension equipped with a valve-seat an provided with an external flange at its lower end adapted to contact with the inner surface of a bottle-neck, a velveguard non-removably secured in said tubular plug, s valve above said valve-seat and a stem above said valve extending through said valve-guard and equipped at its upper end with a knob.

8. The combination with a bottle-neck of :1 tubular plug having a downwardly-llaring extension equipped at its lower end with an external flange, cement supported on said flange between said extension and inner surface of the bottle-neck, a valve-seat carried by said extension, a valve, e valve-guard nonremovablv secured in the tubular plug, a stem working through said valve-guard and a knob connected with the upper end of said stem.

Q. in abottlc-stopper, the combination oi a tubular plug having an extension adapted to fit in a bottle-neck, said extension being provided with a valve-seat, a ravity-valve, a valve-guard comprising a sleeve equipped with an external flange and with projecting arms nen-removably secured in the tubular plug, a valve carried by said sleeve, a tubular stein provided at its upper portion with a port, a knob connected with said stem, 9.

spring-casing confined in the lower end of said steni, and a spring and soluble restraining body therefor confined in said spring-casing, for the purpose set forth.

it). In a bottle-stopper, the combination oil" a tubular plug having a trusts-conical extension adapted to lit in a bottle-neck, said extension equipped with a valve-seat and provided internally above the valve-scat with guides i or the valve, :1 valve-guard secured in the tubular plug and provided with a guide, ii. tubular stein working through the valveguard, a spring and niutable restraininfl' body therefor housed in the lower end of 52th stem, and an operating-knob connected with the upper end of the stem, for the purpose set forth.

11. In a bottle-stopper, the combination of a valve-guard comprising a sleeve equipped at its lower end with cam-surfaces and provided with internal vertical slots, and a stern working through said valve-guard equipped at its lower end with lateral lugs adapted to engage said cam-surfaces in one position of the stem, and to slide within said slots in an other position of the stem, for the purpose set forth.

12. In a bottle-stopper, the combination of e, tubular plug provided internally with beyonet sockets, a valve-guard equipped with arms received by said bsyonctsockcts, and means securing said arms within said sockets, for the purpose set forth.

13. In a bottle-stopper, the combination of a. tubular plug comprising a cylindrical portion and a frustmconical extension joined thereto by an oli'set recessed on its lower side to lit on the top of a bottle-neck, thereby affording a depending flange adapted to fit over the top of the bottle-neck, e valve-seat carried by said extension, s flange at the lower portion of the extension adapted to lit within the bottle-neck, a non-removable valve-guard within the cylindrical portion of the tubular plu and a stem working through said velve-gusr for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES N. BRISCO.

In presence of A. U. THORIEN, J. H. LANDES. 

